Hampton Parkway changes proposed

A plan proposed by Beaufort County Councilman Jerry Stewart would shift the new section of Hampton Parkway (in blue) to connect with the existing Island West Park, which would replace the new section as a signalized access point to U.S. 278. A future road will connect the Island West development to the Island Park West access road.

A plan to add a new section to Hampton Parkway and another signalized access point to U.S. 278 could be revised as Beaufort County staff review an idea presented by Beaufort County Councilman Jerry Stewart of Sun City.

Current plans called for a new segment connecting Island West’s Sea Island Drive to Island West Park, home to Stokes Brown Toyota of Hilton Head, and a second segment behind the dealership connecting to a section of road at U.S. 278 that will one day connect to Hampton Parkway. Those plans, for which County Council approved $800,000 in penny-sales-tax revenue last April, would include a traffic signal at the new intersection with U.S. 278 to help ease access for the surrounding neighborhoods after the S.C. Department of Transportation shut down two left-turn medians in the area as part of the widening project.

Stewart suggested cutting out that second segment connecting to the new U.S 278 access point and placing the signal at the existing Island West Park, opposite Graves Road. The new segment of Hampton Parkway would instead connect with Island West Park instead of terminating at U.S. 278 with its own signalized intersection.

Stewart argued placing a traffic signal where two roads — Island West and Graves Road — meet makes more sense, and his overall plan would cost less. Plus, he said, the county is depending on a private landowner to pay for the new Hampton Parkway section that would serve as a signalized access point under current plans, and that developer hasn’t expressed an interest.

“I think for the long-term and the future what I’m proposing is a much better solution to this intersection and solving this problem than the one we’re currently working on,” Stewart said.

The Graves family’s long push for commercial rezoning on its 142-acre tract along the Okatie heads to a Planning Commission vote Monday.

Stewart’s idea met with support from the rest of the Public Facilities Committee, which recommended that staff bring back an analysis of the proposed changes.

Stewart’s plan would require modifying the median at Island West Park and probably closing the crossover currently being improved on the west side of the Toyota dealership, said Colin Kinton, a county traffic and transportation engineer. It’s not yet clear how much that would cost, but it will fall on local government, he added.

Total costs for both plans aren’t yet known.

The Island West Homeowner’s Association pledged $100,000 toward a signal that officials estimate could run upwards of $175,000.

Homeowners are supportive of the change if it doesn’t delay an expected year-end or early 2014 delivery date established for the current plan, said Jim Cuff, president of the association board. He said Stewart’s idea could actually move faster, but homeowners are concerned that litigation could arise because early development agreements in the area envisioned the current plans.

“But if they told us because of litigation and having to change the (Planned Unit Development) it would take another two years, we wouldn’t be so happy,” he said.